- 1). Put on work gloves and protective eyewear.
- 2). Cut two parallel grooves approximately 3 inches apart around the circumference of the tree below the lowest set of branches. Special girdling tools may be available for rental but an axe or chainsaw is more cost effective.
- 3). Strip the bark in the area of the wound. Cut into the tree's outer bark and inner bark approximately 1 to 1-and-1/2 inches deep, depending on the size of the tree. Using a chisel or axe, chop downward in between the two cuts to strip away the bark.
- 4). Apply an herbicide to the wound to hasten the death of the tree, if desired. Herbicides inhibit the growth of sprouts that can develop from residual nutrients in the tree.
- 5). Monitor the tree for occasional sprouting below the wound and remove sprouts as they occur.
previous post